We often complain for poor battery performance our notebook computers. It drains fast as soon as the external power source is removed. But have ever thought that it we who is responsible for the same. We use the battery in such a manner that its life degrades with time and it is not able to deliver the performance which it could actually have given.
In this post I will discuss some practices which can extend the battery life and keep it running for as long as possible.
Step 1: Avoid unnecessary charging – We have a habit of charging the battery all the times. Avoid doing this. Battery should only be charged when it is completely drained out. There are batteries like Nickel Chromium batteries which remember the status of their charging and discharging. So if a battery is 50% charged and you try charging it again it will assume that you have to charge only 50% and will intimate you that it is fully charged thus reducing the battery life. So charge a battery only when it is fully drained. Avoid the habit of leaving the power connected to notebook all the times.
Step 2: Don’t Disconnect – Even if you are powering your notebook from its external power source, still you should not take the battery out of it. This maintains the maximum battery life of the notebook.
Step 3: Use the battery – Most of the times we work with a power source connected with the notebook. From now on at least once in a month use your notebook only with your battery. This will help the battery to drain out completely so that it can further be recharged. Periodic drain and recharge helps in extending the life of your notebooks battery.
Step 4: System Options – If you use your notebook without power source then make sure that you have done appropriate power settings in your notebook to preserve the battery life. You can select many options like hibernating, turning the screen off, standby mode, or sleep mode to save the precious charge in your notebook’s battery.
Step 5: Clean the connectors – You should clean the connectors of your battery once in a while so that there is not impedance at that level and your notebook gets appropriate power. This helps in proper usage of batteries and thus results in extended life.
Step 6: Keep it cool – Batteries work the best when used in a cool and dry atmosphere. Avoid using your notebook under direct sun or in direct heat. Heat seriously diminishes the batteries capability of accumulating the charge and thus reduces its life.
If you have to leave your notebook off for quite some time then make sure that the battery is not fully charged. As per manufacturers, the idle state to keep a battery is when it is 40% charged. Do not drain it completely, and neither keeps it fully charged if you have to keep your notebook off for long. These tips are not only for notebook batteries but can also be applied to cell phone batteries as well.
